Suggestions

Thank you for your suggestions.
The mission of the River Forest Public Library Staff and Board of Trustees is to develop, publicize and deliver a wide range of high-quality library services to the community. We welcome patron suggestions, comments and ideas for improvements. You may fill out a suggestion online using our form below, or scroll down the page to view current and past patron comments and suggestions.

Suggestion/Comment Form

Current Suggestions and Comments

You may view current library suggestions and comments on this page, or view suggestions from previous years by clicking on one of the links at the bottom of the page.

IL=Suggestion Made In Library
OL=Online Suggestion

December 2012

497. IL Suggestion: Your music section is very overpacked. Can’t see anything without taking CD’s out to flip through.

A:Thank you for your suggestion. It is our goal to make browsing and locating library items as easy as possible. We are currently taking steps to make space in the CD collection so that it can be browsed more easily.

498. OL Suggestion: You need to install Mozilla! I cannot watch all my videos!

A:Thank you for your suggestion. The library’s public computers use the Public Web Browser software, which is developed specifically for public computer use. Mozilla’s Firefox browser software is intended for individual/personal use, which allows for customizations that are not permitted on public library computers. If you are having problems viewing a particular video via library computers, please see a staff member and we will be happy to troubleshoot the problem with you. The browser you use at the library should not affect the content you are able to view on the Internet.

November 2012

492. IL Purchase Suggestion: Foolproof Recipes by Ina Garten—Would love to be the first to check this out! There are about 34 copies in SWAN with 75+ requests. Thank you!

A: Thank you for your suggestion of the title Foolproof Recipes by Ina Garten. We will add this title to the collection!

493. IL Suggestion: I think that for every chair, someone should be allowed to kneel on the floor next to the person in the chair, except for computers.

A: We wish we had more space and more chairs throughout the building. The reason that we ask people to sit on a chair, rather than kneeling on the floor, is because we need to keep our aisles clear for access to materials and other library resources. While you may be perfectly comfortable sitting on the floor, other people might trip over you, or your bag/backpack, as they try to make their way through the building.

494. OL Purchase Suggestion: You’re Not as Crazy as I Thought (But You’re Still Wrong): Conversations between a Die-Hard Liberal and a Devoted Conservative

A: Thank you for your suggestion. We will consider it for purchase.

495. OL Suggestion: Congratulations to the RFPL librarians and staff for initiating the 2nd floor “quiet zone” near the fireplaces on the west end. What a great idea. Patrons are honoring this request, allowing library users to read, work on laptops, etc., minus the distractions of cell phone calls, group study sessions, tutoring, and all the rest.

496. OL Suggestion: A word of “thanks” to the library staff for initiating the “quiet zone” near the 2nd floor fireplaces. So nice to be able to spend an hour or two without cell phone conversations, study groups, and other distractions.

A: Thank you for your comments. The River Forest Public Library is committed to making our patrons feel comfortable and welcome. We are glad to hear that you enjoy the 2nd floor quiet zone. We hope that you continue to have a pleasant experience at the library.

October 2012

490. OL Suggestion: Dear RF Library: Today while visiting the library, I was surprised to see all the videocassettes had disappeared from the east wall. Dorothy said the library gave them all away last week. I received no notice of this and saw no signs about it when I visited the library several times last week. May I request that when giving away library materials in the future, you please send out advance notice by e-mail and on prominent posters of the days and times of the pending giveaway? That way, all library patrons will have the opportunity to plan for and participate in the giveaway. Thank you very much.

A:Thank you for your email. RFPL has taken steps to remove VHS tapes from the collection this month. We offered our VHS collection to the public for free from October 1st through the 7th. We posted a warning sign near the VHS collection notifying patrons that the tapes would be given away for free two weeks before the giveaway began. One week before the giveaway we posted additional signs near the collection, in the stairwell, lobby, book sale alcove and elevator of the library building to advertise the giveaway. We also promoted the VHS giveaway on Facebook and Twitter. We appreciate your interest in our collections and we will certainly take your suggestion into account to do all we can to further promote giveaways in the future. Thank you again for your suggestion and have a great day.

491. OL Suggestion: I was wondering if we could get any recent book or cds by Stuart McClean. The stories are heartwarming, funny and generally amazing.

A:Thank you for the suggestion. We will add Secrets from the Vinyl Cafe and Vinyl Cafe Unplugged to the collection.

September 2012

486. IL Comment: Dear Acquisitions Librarian: Thank you very much for purchasing the following outstanding titles: 1. Darwin’s Ghost, 2. Mary Sutter. Both very excellent.

A:Thank you for your comment. It is our goal to add titles to our collection that meet the needs of our patrons. We’re glad that the titles you listed were enjoyable for you. As always, feel free to suggest titles for the collection, and to give us feedback.

487. IL Suggestion: Upstairs in New Fiction, if bookcase is turned 90° it would offer more room for “lookers.”

A:Thank you for your suggestion. We are always looking for ways to make our collection more brows-able and accessible to our patrons. This is an excellent idea and we will definitely consider it. Thank you again for the suggestion!

488. IL Suggestion: Passing Western Springs Library I noticed a very nice streetside bookdrop. I would like to see one or two here in RF. Both OP & FP have drops also that can be reached from the car.

A:Thank you for your suggestion that we add a curbside book drop. We agree completely that it would be a wonderful addition to the library and have investigated a number of possibilities. Unfortunately, the obstacle we face is where the best location would be. It is important that the book drop be positioned in a location that would allow easy access from the vehicle and not impede traffic flow. We are actively pursuing possibilities for a curbside book drop location and hope to have one in the future.

489. IL Suggestion: eBook lending period should be longer than 2 weeks & we should be able to renew instead of just losing the book online.

A:We received your suggestion regarding the loan rules for Media On Demand titles. Unfortunately, renewal restrictions are set by the publisher, so we do not expect that to change in the immediate future. The 2 week lending period for titles is set by the library consortium, which includes approximately 50 libraries. There is a possibility that this will change in the future to a longer lending period, since our shared collection has grown and decisions regarding lending rules are made via a democratic process. We will be sure to update our patrons if and when we see these changes take place. In the meantime thank you for your feedback, your patience and your interest in our digital collections.

August 2012

482. IL Suggestion: Could you make a larger section of anime in the DVD section?

A.: Thank you for your suggestion. We appreciate your interest in our DVD and anime collection. We will consider adding additional titles to this section according to patron demand. Please let us know if you are looking for particular titles. RFPL librarians would also be happy to help you search for additional titles through interlibrary loan.

483. IL Suggestion: New Carpet! Existing is dirty and damaged. I love coming to my library! I’m here at least once a week.

A.: We will try to do better: the newer carpeting in the Meeting Room and in the Children’s Room is on a regular cleaning rotation as of August 1st. The older carpeting on the second floor and in the circulation area is pretty tired; it is so stained and worn that cleaning does not improve its look. We appreciate your concern and your comments. We will be replacing this older carpeting soon, as a part of a more comprehensive remodeling of the interior of the library.

484. IL Suggestion: We would like the connections room back, with Phenice please, if possible.
485. IL Suggestion: This year we should get the connections room back, also, can you request Phenice?

A.: We miss Phenice, last year’s Connections Coordinator, too. Phenice resigned for personal reasons that we had no control over. We are sorry that you miss the Connections room, but now the meeting room can now be used for programming for all ages. We are still committed to offering library appropriate programs for middle school students. In addition to regular library programs for kids and teens, every Wednesday, there will be a drop-in craft for middle school students. On Fridays, middle school students are invited to come by for gaming or a movie. We also hope you will take advantage of the new teen space upstairs. Tuesdays and Thursdays, a teacher will be available in the teen space to help with homework.

July 2012

477. OL Suggestion: I feel that the teen computers should be the ones directly behind the librarian’s desk! That way, it will be easier to monitor their behavior. Once again, I had to ask someone to tell the children to be quiet. I couldn’t understand how she wasn’t aware of their noise but it’s happened more than once since you’ve made the shift. Just because the area is not a “quiet zone” should not mean anything goes. I am not coming here as often and one reason is this issue. I cannot concentrate with kids grouped next to a single monitor, constantly laughing and talking loudly. Please reconsider where they sit. I prefer to have a bit of space and the ones behind the desk are very close together!

A:Thank you for your email of July 12th. While we strive for the highest customer service and seek to make the library a welcoming place for all patrons, we are unable to accommodate your suggestion about the teen computers. We want teens to feel welcome here and to use our library resources. They are our future leaders and our future taxpayers. We feel that it is important that the teens have a designated area that they can call their own. The “teen computers” are appropriately located in the teen space, while the computers behind the reference desk are not located in the teen space.

The River Forest community appreciates that the library provides a safe, supervised space for teens to use after school. This past March, we deliberately and thoughtfully carved out and furnished a larger area for teens to use. During the after school hours, we do have a lot of middle school students in the building and we have increased our staffing during this time to handle the larger crowd. We know that the volume in the building is louder between the hours of 3:30 and 5:30pm during the school year, but we believe that most teens act appropriately in the teen space.

If you like to spread out a bit, you are certainly welcome to use the teen computers when the students are in school. The library is much quieter when school is in session, and you may enjoy visiting more during those 6 1/2 daytime hours. If you are here between 3:30 and 5:30pm and want a quieter option, we do have laptop computers that we check out to River Forest patrons for in-library use. You might want to use one of our laptops on the quiet side of the building if you are having trouble concentrating on your work.

478. IL Suggestion: Sometimes we find a great book on the new book rack. If would be nice to have the ability to write a few word review and stick it on the front of the book, so others might gain an interest and check the book out.

A:Thank you for this suggestion. We are glad to hear that you find our new selections interesting. We are always working to foster a love of reading and interest in library materials in our patrons. We will consider your suggestion as part of these efforts. In the mean time, feel free to share your book recommendations on the RFPL Reads Blog.

479. IL Comment: Will the 2 metal benches that are in front, that were an eagle Scout project, be relocated and continued to be used, when you do the landscape changes to front?

A:Thank you for your question. The 2 metal benches you are referring to will be relocated as part of the Landscape construction process.

480. IL Purchase Suggestion: Essentially Feminine Knits by Lene Samsoe & Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw.

A:Thank you for your suggestions! Both titles will be added to the library collection.

June 2012

473. OL Suggestion: I am a library person. I have visited many of those within the SWAN system. Although I like the River Forest Library in the physical sense, I am not over the moon when it comes to the actual books you possess. Not to compare libraries, but Forest Park has (IMO) the best collection around. They are pretty hip on the kind of books that are popular (frequently requested), and they seem to have a way bigger number of books as well! Their space (which I don’t dig) seems smaller than RF’s and yet they really pack a punch. RF seems too conservative in their offerings and a bit blah. The kind of books that I am interested in are: holistic living/heath/diet, astrology and New Age, biographies and autobiographies (especially off-beat characters. I don’t know if one person is in charge of selecting books or if it’s by committee, but I do think RF needs a greater selection and less stuffy choices. Thanks!

A:Thank you for your feedback. The library is constantly purchasing new materials and always seeks to have the most current and popular materials available for our patrons, while staying with in the constraints of our budget. We are also constantly evaluating the use of our collection so that we can provide materials that are of interest to and will be used by our patrons. If there is something you would like to see on our shelves that we do not currently own, we do welcome suggestions.

474. IL Suggestion: One low cost/no cost idea that I personally love is the “take a book/leave a book” rack, such as they have at the Algonquin library. I know we have lots of paperback book donors!

A:Thank you for this suggestion. We are always looking for new ways to engage interested readers in our community. We will consider your suggestion as we consider future service offerings.

475. IL Suggestion: You should monitor the teens outside. Sometimes they are very obnoxious and they disturb other people outside. Thanks!

A:The library strives to be a welcoming place for patrons of all ages. We want teens to use the library for the purpose for which it was intended. Library staff does their best to monitor the inside of building and the front entryway, but we are not able to assign a staff member to supervise the outside of the building. Please let a staff member know if your use of the library is being disrupted by any person and we will address the situation promptly.

476. IL Suggestion: Change PJ Storytime back to Monday! (please)

A.All of our programs are scheduled based on staff availability to deliver them. We welcome your feedback and will consider it when evaluating optimal dates and times for future story times.

May 2012

465. IL Suggestion: By the Adult section, the tables on the North and South sides don’t seem very appealing to work at, because they seem dreary and isolated. Add some color, and a lamp or two, if you could.

A:Thank you for your suggestion. Plans for improvements to our upstairs space, including new, attractive furniture and lighting, are in the works.

466. IL Comment: Miss Ellen is a joy to be connected with.

A: Thank you for the compliment to Miss Ellen. We are fortunate to have her on our team! We will share your comments with her.

467. IL Suggestion: In the Teen section on the North side, chairs could be added.

A: Thank you for your suggestion. We will consider it in future space improvements.

468. IL Purchase Suggestion: Get more Shugo Chrara books. It’s a 12 book series and you only have 4 books. Seriously, you have, like, 50 Naruto books, so why not get all of the Shugo Chara books? It’s just as good a series, maybe better.

A: Thank you for your suggestion. Per our collection development procedures, graphic novel series are purchased in their entirety when interest warrants and space allows. After the first title is purchased, the library selector evaluates subsequent titles in a series and adds at his or her discretion. Shugo Chara circulation numbers did not warrant purchasing the entire series. Many libraries in our system have copies of the Shugo Chara books and River Forest patrons are able to borrow these books, free of charge. Library staff would be happy to assist you in requesting an interlibrary loan for any Shugo Chara title you would like to read.

469. IL Suggestion: I think that we should get the Connections room back because it allows children to be loud. Upstairs is a quiet place but now it’s very loud!

470. IL Suggestion: I like the Connections room better, and if we were still in there people wouldn’t complain about us!

471. IL Suggestion: I happen to be one of the teens in the upstairs computer area. I asked my friends, and we all agree that the Connections room was better. We don’t understand why we got kicked out! Also I’ve seen some other complaints about us, so we think we should move back to the Connections room!

A: Thank you for sharing your comments with us. The Connections program has been realigned to coincide with the library’s mission of providing access to knowledge and information through reading, writing, quiet contemplation, and the use of technology. We have dedicated an attractive new space for middle school and high school student use with computers, tables and chairs, and comfortable seating adjacent to our collection of teen library materials.

Our new teen space is designed to encourage young people to use the library for the purpose for which it was intended. Library staff have been monitoring the transition process and feel that the students will adjust well to the new space over time. While we will still offer a craft program and a movie/gaming afternoon weekly for our middle school patrons in our meeting room during the school year, loud behavior was never acceptable in the Connections Room, and will not be allowed in other areas of the building.

472. IL Purchase Suggestion: More in the Cork series. I really enjoyed A Dog Named Cork.

A: Thank you for your suggestion. Are you referring to the Cork and Fuzz series? The library currently owns seven books in this series. Please visit with a librarian in the Children’s Room and let us know if this is the series you are looking for.

April 2012

461. OL Comment: I have a couple of concerns. Regarding the new policy of allowing the computer area to have noise, I am surprised that children are allowed to yell loudly, laugh, scoot their chairs around…I don’t think it’s appropriate in a LIBRARY, even if not a quiet area! Also, the kids hanging out in front after school is also surprising to see. Why can’t there be a policy that they wait inside or in the field area? Having a bunch of kids (or even one) loitering doesn’t make any sense to me.

A:Thank you for expressing your concerns with us. The after school hours are our busiest time of day. We are located next door to Roosevelt Middle School, and we attract large numbers of unattended children during this time. We have established a Patron Code of Conduct for people of all ages and we do our very best to enforce it consistently. We encourage children not to block access to the front door and welcome them into our building, but we cannot ask them to leave the library and its grounds unless their behavior is in violation of our policy. We do our best to engage middle school children in library-appropriate activities, offering computers, books, and programs twice each week. We do not allow anyone to yell loudly and we try to redirect inappropriate behavior.

Given the number of patrons in the building after school, it is louder at the library during this time. When we expanded our Teen area on the east side of the building, we designated the west side of our upstairs a “quiet zone” and purchased laptops for adult resident patrons to checkout and use in this area. Please be assured that you may always speak to a library staff member if you feel that your quiet enjoyment of the library is impeded by others. We strive to make the library a welcoming place for all members of the community.

462. IL Purchase Suggestion: Louder Than a Bomb-Documentary recently released on DVD. This documentary is about the Chicago area-wide school poetry slam that takes place annually in Chicago. It showcases various contestants– one an Oak Park student, Nova Venerable is featured throughout.

A:Thank you for your suggestion. This title was recently purchased for the Adult DVD collection and is available for checkout. Please let us know if you would like to place a hold on this item.

463. IL Suggestion: To encourage bikers, consider getting a portable bike tire pump to keep in the library.

A:Thank you for your suggestion. We will plan to implement this idea in the near future, and will notify you when the bike tire pump arrives at the library.

464. IL Comment: Kimberly McGuire was excellent for preschool story time.

A:Thank you for the compliment to Miss Kimberly. We are fortunate to have her as a member of our staff. We will share your comments with her.

March 2012

458. IL Comment: Where is the Honor Case that listed military folks from River Forest– used to be on the south wall upstairs?

A:The Roll of Honor cases have been relocated to a newly created “Local History and Heroes” room on the 2nd floor. The cases are more accessible to read in this new space than their previous location. The room is adjacent to the Adult Services workspaces and contains the microfilm machine, local yearbooks, and the Roll of Honor cases. The room is open to the public and will be designated with clear signage shortly.

459. IL Suggestion: Can the library have air conditioning? It’s too warm upstairs and hard to concentrate on homework.

A: We apologize for the heat wave the library experienced in March. Rest assured, this was a temporary inconvenience. The new air conditioning system has been installed and will be functioning on future warm days. Thank you for your patience.

460. IL Suggestion: Front desk needs improvement. Needs more green plants. Make the entrance welcoming. (Add a) counter for people checking out books. Front counter does not provide enough space.

A: Thank you for sharing your comments with us. We will take them into consideration for future space redesign in the foyer.